I am fascinated by small-scale models, dolls houses, model railways, dioramas. I love the precision of miniaturists who can create tiny household objects to the correct scale for their models. I think miniaturists are probably good at math. It is fun to try to photograph the scenery the way it would appear to the tiny occupants. Suppose they were living beings? How would we look to them? Giants? Maybe Gods whose enormous hands reach in to save them from calamity? Would there be a religion that worshipped the Big Hand From The Sky? Are there advocates for Free will for tiny people?

Like many pet owners I enjoy funny animal films on YouTube. Who doesn’t like the funny antics of cats and cute kittens? Cole and Marmalade is a great series about the lives of two very spoiled cats and the stuff they get up to. But the other night, while having a cat video watching session, I became quite concerned about the number of films of cats that seemed quite distressed and how little the owners seemed to care.

Yes it is funny when your cat accidentally falls into the bath. It does happen. At least one of mine has fallen in the tub due to being too curious about what I was doing in there. Some cats really hate water and don’t like being bathed but if they need it bathing them is not really cruel. Seeing a pet having an embarrassing fail is funny in the same way it is funny when a human slips on a banana skin.

However, allowing a small child to drag the cat into the bath against its will certainly is cruel, not to mention being a very stupid idea. I saw this last night and could not believe the child’s parents were allowing it let alone filming it. The poor cat was really upset.

So was the cat whose owner thought it would be fun to stand in the middle of her pool nursing her cat who obviously did not want to be there. I hope she got scratched.

Yes cats can swim but that is not an excuse to throw your cat into the pool as I saw one person do. He just tossed it like it was a toy. That was mean!

It seems to me that there are a lot of people out there doing stuff to their pets just to make a funny film for YouTube. The cat is scared and runs away and in the background you hear hearty laughter from the humans. Well they are not funny! If people want to make fools of themselves, hurt themselves for their five minutes of fame fine. I don’t care. But don’t do it to your cat!

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My walk to Geeveston to watch the filming gave me the opportunity to take photographs not only of the Rosehaven shooting but also a couple of local businesses operated by people I know. I thought it would be fun to share them here.

Makers on Church Street is one of my favourite shops in Geeveston. It is a cooperative where several creative people rent space to run their businesses. Majestic Rythmics is one of these and is run by my friend Nicola Oliver who moved to Tasmania from Queensland just a few years ago.

Nicola makes training outfits, uniforms and costumes for gymnasts, dancers, skaters and even circus performers assisted by her mum Deirdre who helps with cutting and sewing and her partner Dave who helped fit out the shop and does many of the jobs that need to be done in a small business. Nicola also teaches Rythmic Gymnastics in her spare time and coaches the Tasmanian state team .

Nicola and her partner Dave.

Nicola’s mum Deirdre relaxing at home.

When you visit Nicola’s shop in Geeveston you will see the most beautiful display of costumes. Here you can see some of Nicola’s work which I photographed in her shop.

Some of Nicola’s work.

Fairy costumes for big or little girls

Whenever I drop in to see them Nicola and Deirdre are busy cutting and sewing. It must take incredible patience to do the “blinging” with sequins and other shiny bits and pieces which Nicola does by hand. She will also turn her hand to making a fairy costume for a little girl or a smart outfit for a circus ringmaster.

Imagine putting these on by hand!

Bee themed costume.

Here are a couple more of Nicola’s creations. I love these wings. I am sure fairies would be queuing up for these if they came in miniature.

An amazing pair of wings.

Another lovely costume.

If you are wondering what Rythmic Gymnastics is exactly here is a quote from the website tas.gymnastics.org.au:

I’ve included some links at the end of this post if you would like to learn more.

Nicola sends orders all over Australia and overseas, frequently to New Zealand where her daughter Kez lives. Keziah Oliver competes in Rythmic Gymnastics and represented New Zealand at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. In 2015 she attended the World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria and proud mum Nicola went along as her coach, and supplied the costumes of course. Currently Kez is training for selection for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. I’ve included a clip I found of her on YouTube

Update:

9 September 2017. Majestic Rythmics won this award at the Kingborough and Huon Business Awards.

I took this photo one Saturday when Naomi and I were in Hobart. Heritage Horse Drawn Carriages do tours around the Hobart waterfront, Salamanca and Battery Point. I was not quick enough on this occasion to get a good photo of the horses but did get this nice one of Steve, the driver. Heritage Horse Drawn Carriages are based in Geeveston but conduct their tours in Hobart.

What You Think

Naomi

I came to Australia with my mother and sister Vanda in 1966 from the UK aboard the Sitmar liner Castel Felice. We settled in South Australia I lived in the western suburbs of Adelaide for most of my life. I became very interested in retro items in my twenties. It was always a dream of mine to have an old house and fill it with retro items. I have done it twice now. My main interest is collecting old things. They do not have to be valuable, only interesting. There is something reassuring about old retro items. I have all sorts of things including doll related items. My other interests are my beautiful pets, art and going for drives to who knows where. I also enjoy board games or doing a scenic jig saw puzzle on a wintry afternoon by the fire. My goal is to travel a bit more as there are some places I would love to see

Vanda

Born in England in 1957 my family came to Australia in 1966. I grew up in Adelaide, South Australia, where I met and married my husband David. We came together over a mutual love of trains. Both of us worked for the railways for many years, his job was with Australian National Railways, while I spent 12 years working for the STA, later TransAdelaide the Adelaide city transit system. After leaving that job I worked in hospitality until 2008.
We moved to Tasmania in 2002 to live in the beautiful Huon Valley. David passed away in 2015 and I'm here on my own now but I have Cindy the dog and Polly the cat to keep me company.
I currently co-write two Wordpress blogswith my sister Naomi. Our doll blog "Dolls, Dolls, Dolls", and a "Our Other Blog" which is about everything else but with a focus on photographs and places in Tasmania.